Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively,
in June 2017 and March 2016. The 6D Mark II is a DSLR, while the RX10 III is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a full frame (6D Mark II) and an one-inch (RX10 III) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 26 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their sensors, their features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

The physical size and weight of the Canon 6D Mark II and the Sony RX10 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Sony RX10 III is notably smaller (22 percent) than the Canon 6D Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX10 III has a lens built in,
whereas the 6D Mark II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 6D Mark II and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 6D Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its LP-E6N battery,
while the RX10 III can take 420 images on a single charge of its NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the RX10 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The RX10 III was launched at a lower price than the 6D Mark II, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 6D Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Sony RX10 III
an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 III is 87 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 26MP, the 6D Mark II offers a higher
resolution than the RX10 III (20MP), but the 6D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
5.76μm versus 2.41μm for the RX10 III) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the RX10 III, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The 6D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during video recording.

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600..

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the 6D Mark II provides substantially higher image quality than the RX10 III, with an overall score that is 15 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.3 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV of lower dynamic range, and 2.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 6D Mark II»

Full Frame

26.0

6240

4160

1080/60p

24.4

11.9

2862

85

Canon 6D Mark II

Sony RX10 III«

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

23.1

12.6

472

70

Sony RX10 III

Canon R«»

Full Frame

30.1

6720

4480

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Canon R

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Full Frame

30.1

6720

4480

4K/30p

24.8

13.6

2995

91

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 80D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.2

1135

79

Canon 80D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Full Frame

22.1

5760

3840

1080/30p

24.0

11.7

2293

81

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D«»

Full Frame

20.0

5472

3648

1080/30p

23.8

12.1

2340

82

Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II«»

Full Frame

21.0

5616

3744

1080/30p

23.7

11.9

1815

79

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D750«»

Full Frame

24.2

6016

4016

1080/60p

24.8

14.5

2956

93

Nikon D750

Nikon D610«»

Full Frame

24.2

6016

4016

1080/30p

25.1

14.4

2925

94

Nikon D610

Nikon D600«»

Full Frame

24.2

6016

4016

1080/30p

25.1

14.2

2980

94

Nikon D600

Sony A7 III«»

Full Frame

24.0

6000

4000

4K/30p

25.0

14.7

3730

96

Sony A7 III

Sony RX10 IV«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX100 V«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.8

12.4

586

70

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX10 II«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

23.0

12.6

531

70

Sony RX10 II

Sony RX100 IV«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.8

12.6

591

70

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX10«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

1080/60p

22.9

12.6

474

69

Sony RX10

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the RX10 III provides a better video resolution than the 6D Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the RX10 III has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the 6D Mark II has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 6D Mark II and Sony RX10 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Shutter speed (1/sec)

Shutter flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 6D Mark II»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

4000

6.5

n

n

Canon 6D Mark II

Sony RX10 III«

2359

Y

3.0

1229

tilting

n

2000

14.0

Y

Y

Sony RX10 III

Canon R«»

3690

Y

3.2

2100

swivel

Y

8000

8.0

n

n

Canon R

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

optical

Y

3.2

1620

fixed

Y

8000

7.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 80D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

8000

7.0

Y

n

Canon 80D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

8000

6.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

fixed

n

4000

4.5

n

n

Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II«»

optical

Y

3.0

920

fixed

n

8000

3.9

n

n

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D750«»

optical

Y

3.2

1229

tilting

n

4000

6.0

Y

n

Nikon D750

Nikon D610«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

4000

6.0

Y

n

Nikon D610

Nikon D600«»

optical

Y

3.0

921

fixed

n

4000

5.5

Y

n

Nikon D600

Sony A7 III«»

2359

n

3.0

922

tilting

Y

8000

10.0

n

Y

Sony A7 III

Sony RX10 IV«»

2359

Y

3.0

1440

tilting

Y

2000

24.0

Y

Y

Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX100 V«»

2359

n

3.0

1229

tilting

n

2000

24.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX10 II«»

2359

Y

3.0

1229

tilting

n

3200

14.0

Y

Y

Sony RX10 II

Sony RX100 IV«»

2359

n

3.0

1228

tilting

n

2000

16.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX10«»

1440

Y

3.0

1229

tilting

n

3200

10.0

Y

Y

Sony RX10

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 6D Mark II
has a touchscreen, while the RX10 III has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

The 6D Mark II has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the RX10 III does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the RX10 III features
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Connectivity comparison: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 6D Mark II»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 6D Mark II

Sony RX10 III«

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX10 III

Canon R«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.1

Y

-

Y

Canon R

Canon 5D Mark IV«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 80D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 80D

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

-

-

Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark II«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark II

Nikon D750«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

Y

-

-

Nikon D750

Nikon D610«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D610

Nikon D600«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Nikon D600

Sony A7 III«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

3.1

Y

Y

Y

Sony A7 III

Sony RX10 IV«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX100 V«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 V

Sony RX10 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX10 II

Sony RX100 IV«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX10«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX10

Both the 6D Mark II and the RX10 III are recent models that feature in their makers' current product line-up. The RX10 III replaced the earlier Sony RX10 II, while the 6D Mark II followed on from the Canon 6D.

Review summary: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 6D Mark II and the Sony RX10 III? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.

Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the 6D Mark II requires a separate lens.

More compact: Is smaller (133x94mm vs 144x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.

Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.

Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.

More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2016).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D Mark II comes out slightly ahead of the RX10 III (14 : 13 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

6D Mark II 14:13 RX10 III

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 6D Mark II and the RX10 III in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony RX10 III

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.